Singur repair delays trigger crop holiday fears

Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Repair works at the Singur Multipurpose Project on the Manjira River, a key irrigation source for the erstwhile Medak district and a major drinking water supplier to Hyderabad, have sparked concern over delays, safety issues and their impact on agriculture. The project is undergoing urgent restoration after objections were raised by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) regarding dam safety.

During an inspection in March, an NDSA expert team reportedly expressed serious displeasure over the contractor’s approach. Officials were said to be shocked that only a single excavator and one truck were deployed for work on such a critical structure. The team also faulted the contractor for not prioritising severely damaged revetment sections inside the earth dam. Suspicions are being raised that delayed government payments may be affecting the pace of work.

Authorities have also flagged concerns over the quality of repairs at certain locations. Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy reviewed the situation and directed that all works be completed within a single season. He warned that failure to accelerate repairs could force a crop holiday, causing losses to farmers. Sonar tests and underwater surveys have also been ordered to detect any hidden cracks or leakages.

As a precaution, officials have decided to restrict water storage in the reservoir to 15 TMC this monsoon, against its full capacity of 29.91 TMC. The decision follows damage to revetment structures and leakage concerns. Even if heavy inflows arrive from catchment areas in Karnataka and Maharashtra, excess water may have to be released downstream. The state has sanctioned around Rs.22 crore for modernisation works, including repairs to gates, hoists, stop-log elements and gantry cranes.

The restriction is expected to affect irrigation in Sangareddy and Medak districts, where around 40,000 acres are officially under ayacut, though cultivation extends to nearly 80,000 acres. Farmers fear that continued delays could lead to a crop holiday and impact Mission Bhagiratha supplies in parts of Kamareddy, Nizamabad and Sangareddy districts.

However, officials maintain that Hyderabad’s drinking water supply will remain secure. The planned 15 TMC storage is considered sufficient to meet the twin cities’ annual requirement of about 4 TMC and industrial needs. Irrigation officials have reportedly intensified monitoring and directed the contractor to deploy more machinery and workers before the monsoon intensifies.